Valve stem construction



APT 8, 1952 w. s. Du CHARME 2,592,256

VALVE STEM CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 27, 1945 1 l Z "',1 v 2.4,/- 3/ y Z5 24- 24 gull@ T l 4- assembly positioned therein;

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Patented Apr. 8, 1952 VALVE STEM CNS'TRUCTION William S. Du Charme, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Superior Valve Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a partnership Application August 27, i945, serial No. 612,973

Claims.

This invention relates to an improved valve stem construction for a faucet of the type in general household use, and more particularly to an improved valve stem assembly for replacing existing valve stems in faucets to facilitate their repair. These, therefore, are the general objects of the present invention.

A more specific object of this invention is the provision of a valve stem assembly which may be utilized for the repair of the existing faucets where the operating connection between the valve stem and the faucet body have become worn or otherwise damaged, and which improved stem will be so arranged and constructed that it may be placed in use without attendant machine operations on either the stem or faucet structure. A further object yis the provision of an improved valve stem assembly and shut-off unit which may be used to repair various types and sizes of household faucets now in use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description, reference being had to a preferred form of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a faucet having my improved valve stem Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the valve stem assembly as indicated by the line 2-2 on Fig. 1 and illustrates the stem in a closed shut-olf position; Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2, illustrating the assembly in an open position; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the stem assembly as illustrated by the line 4 4 on Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through the upper portion of the stem assembly as indicated by the line 5-5 on Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that I have illustrated my improved valve stem assembly as applied to a faucet of the type in general household use at the present time. The faucet structure comprises a hollow body or casting I0 provided with an internal partition wall I I which divides the body into an inlet passage I4 and an outlet passage I5. Fluid flows in the usual manner from the inlet passage to the outlet passage through a suitable valve port opening I6 formed in the partition wall I I.

The body of the faucet I0 is preferably provided with means such as external threads Il, whereby the faucet may be coupled to a uid The flow of uid through the valve port opening I6 is controlled by my improved valve stem assembly which Vis generally indicated at 2li. The improved valve stem assembly 2i) extends vertically through a hollow boss-like formation which extends upwardly from the body I0 in alignment with the valve port opening I6.

Ordinarily in faucets of this type the valve stem is provided with external threads to coact with internal threads I9 formed on the inner face of the boss i8, so that consequent upon rotation of the stem, it will be raised into and out of contact with the partition wall II adjacent the valve port opening IS. in the past when the threads l or the coacting threads on the valve stem became worn or otherwise damaged, it has been customary to discard the faucet, substituting an entirely new faucet structure therefor.

The valve stem assembly 2% of the present invention may be placed in the boss I8 without interference with the threads I9 and it is so arranged that no coaction between the valve stem E!) and the threads I9 is necessary. Thus, by merely substituting my improved valve stem for the old stem, the faucet structure may be maintained in use, thereby prolonging its life for a 'V considerable length of time.

My improved valve stem assembly comprises a cylindrical sleeve 2I of such external diameter as to be readily inserted in a vertical position within the boss IS of the faucet body structure It, without interference with the threads I9 thereof. Mounted on the lower end of the sleeve 2l is a valve seat member 22. This member, as shown in Figs. l and 2, is of substantially the same external diameter as that of the sleeve 2 I, and is provided, at its upper end, with a reduced portion or neck 23, which snugly engages the internal surface of the sleeve adjacent its lower end. The valve seat member 22 is provided with an axial opening 23 which forms a continuation of the valve port opening I5. When the assembly is in position in a faucet, fluid flows through the valve port opening' i6, and the opening 23 in the seat member into the sleeve 2l, from whence it flows into the discharge passageway I5 through suitable radially extending openings 24 formed in the wall of the sleeve 2 I.

The flow of iiuid through the valve seat member 22 is controlled by a valve member 25. This member, `as illustrated in the drawings, comprises a solid disc mounted for axial movement in the sleeve 2i. The external diameter of the valve member 25 is greater than the diameter of the opening 23 in the seat member 22. Hence the ow of fluid through the sleeve will cease when 3 the valve member is forced into contact with the seat member.

The valve member 22 is forced against the seat by a stem 30 which extends Iaxially through the sleeve as shown in Fig. 2. The lower end of the stem 30 is provided with external threads 3| which coact with complementary threads 32 formed on the inner wall of the sleeve 2 I. These threads are so arranged that rotation of the stem will move it to and from the valve seat member 22. When the stern moves away from the seat member, fluid pressure acting on the lower face of the valve member 25 will cause it to follow the stem and thus permit the flow of fluid through the stem structure.

The valve assembly is held in position in the faucet body l! by a packing nut 40. When the assembly is used to repair existing structures, the same packing nut which retained the original or worn stem may be used. I have arranged my improved stem assembly so that the length of the sleeve is less than the length of the boss |8 of faucets now in general household use. Hence, a plurality of washers 33, generally composed of fibrous material are interposed between the top of the sleeve 2| and the usual packing unit 4| carried by the nut 4i). The valve stem 30 extends upward through the packing I and nut 40, the packing I preventing seepage of fluid along the valve stem. A sufficient number of washers 33 are used to insure a fluid tight t between the valve seat member 22 and the lower end of the sleeve 2| and between the seat member and the partition wall l I of the faucet. The clamping of the sleeve in place between the packing unit 4| and the partition wall also prevents rotation of the sleeve 2|.

To insure a fluid tight fit between the partition wall and the seat member 22, despite irregularities in the upper surface of the wall, the seat member is made of a compressible material, such as a rubber or rubber-like composition. This also aids in preventing relative rotation between the valve member and the valve se'aTmember 22 when the valve stem 35 is rotated, as it provides a greater coefficient of friction between the valve member 25 and seat 22 than between the valve member and the stem 30, both of which generally are made of metal with finished coacting surfaces.

As heretofore mentioned, the valve stern 33 extends upward through the packing nut 43 to facilitate the application of the usual handle 42. I have constructed the upper end of the valve stem 30, so that it may be used with substantially any type of handle now in use. To this end the upper end of the stem has a substantially conical surface 35 which is provided with a pair of oppositely facing flat surfaces 36 tapering upwardly and inwardly. Engaging these tapered surfaces are the legs 31 or" 4a substantially inverted U-shaped retainer member, the top wall of which has an opening 39 to receive a bolt used to retain the handle 42 in position on the stem 30. The member 38 is preferably made of spring steel and is so formed that when it is drawn downward by the bolt, its edges will bite into the metal cf the handle as indicated in Fig. 5 and prevent `relative rotation between the stem 3S and the handle 42. While I have indicated the opening 44 in the handle (Fig. 5) as being substantially round, it is obvious that the retainer 38 will retain the handle in position against rotation for various types and sizes of openings.

I claim:

1. A stem assembly for a faucet, comprising a cylindrical open-ended sleeve having a fluid passageway in its wall and intermediate its ends. a compressible valve seat member carried by said sleeve and having an axially extending opening to coact with the valve port opening of a faucet, said member having one portion extending upwardly into said sleeve and snugly contacting the wall thereof and having another portion underlying one end of the sleeve to coact with the faucet adjacent its valve port opening, a stem mounted in the other end of the sleeve and extending upwardly therefrom, a plurality of washers mounted on said stem and having a diameter substantially equal to the external diameter of said sleeve, a connection between said stem and sleeve arranged to cause axial movement therebetween consequent upon the rotation of said stem, and a valve member mounted for axial movement in said sleeve and interposed between said stem and said seat member, and controlling a discharge opening in the wall of the sleeve.

2. A stem assembly adapted to be inserted within the neck of a compression faucet comprising an open-ended internally threaded sleeve, a stem threaded in the sleeve, a lateral opening through the wall of the sleeve below the lower end of the stem, a valve seat member carried at the lower end of the sleeve and adapted to coact with the valve seat of the faucet and having a passageway leading to the interior of the sleeve, and a valve member in the form of a freely slidably cylindrical block within the sleeve movable independently of the stem, said block in its lowermost position closing the passageway to the valve seat member while its periphery extends across said lateral opening through the sleeve and in its uppermost position leaving said lateral opening through the sleeve wall unobstructed.

3. A stem assembly for a faucet comprising an open-ended cylindrical sleeve internally threaded in its upper portion and smoothly cylindrical in the interior of its lower portion and having a lateral opening through the lower portion of its wall, a compressible valve seat member of substantially the same external diameter as the sleeve and having an upward boss of substantially the same external diameter as the interior of the lower portion of the sleeve whereby said valve seat member extends beneath the sleeve and also into it, an axially movable cylindrical valve member within the sleeve adapted to rest on said boss and peripherally engage the interior of the sleeve, a rotative stem threaded in the sleeve and independent of the valve member but adapted to form an abutment therefor, whereby the valve seat member may form a yielding contact with both the valve seat of the faucet and with the valve member and the latter may form a closure for the sleeve opening.

4. A stem assembly for a faucet comprising an open-ended cylindrical sleeve internally threaded in its upper portion and smoothly cylindrical in the interior of its lower portion and having a lateral opening through the lower portion of its wall, a valve seat member carried by the sleeve at the lower end thereof and insertable and removable with the sleeve, a cylindrical valve member within the sleeve movable independently cf the sleeve and adapted to extend across the opening of the valve seat member and having its periphery engaging the sleeve to be guided thereby, a rotative stem threaded in the sleeve and independent of the valve member but adapted to form an abutment therefor, whereby the valve seat member may form a yielding contact with both the valve seat of the faucet and with the valve member and the latter may form a closure for the sleeve opening.

5. The combination with a faucet having an internal thread, a hollow cylindrical sleeve, the external diameter of which is no greater than the minimum internal diameter of the faucet thread, a compressible valve seat member mounted on one end of said sleeve and extending across the end of the sleeve, a valve stem mounted in the other end portion of said sleeve and extendving axially outwardly therefrom, a threaded connection between said stem and sleeve whereby the stem may be moved axially in said sleeve to and from said seat member, and a, valve member separate from the sleeve and mounted for independent axial movement in said sleeve and interposed between the end of the stem and the valve seatl member, there being a discharge opening in the sleeve, said valve member having its periphery extending across the discharge port through the Wall of the sleeve.

WILLIAM S. DU CHARME.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

m UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 627,473 Boyer June 27, 1899 935,019. Hallowell Sept. 28, 1909 1,087,543 Mueller Feb. 17, 1914 15 1,481,323 Kellum Jan. 22, 1924 1,635,875 Albrecht July 12, 1927 2,186,499 Riva Jan. 9, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 20 Number Country Date 6,796 Great Britain of 1892 507,551 Great Britain of 1939 

